Would You Rather Be a Speaker, a Communicator or an Orator?
Would You Rather Be a Speaker, a Communicator or an Orator? There is a question worth asking anyone who wants to become better at public speaking: what exactly are you trying to become? A better speaker? A better communicator? Or an orator? The three words are often used as though they mean the same thing. […]
You Didn’t Lie. But Did You Tell the Truth?
There is a particular kind of dishonesty that is difficult to confront because, technically, nothing false was said. A manager presents the results of a project to the board. The numbers are accurate. The presentation is carefully prepared. The language is measured and professional. There is no fabricated figure, no invented achievement and no obvious […]
Your Voice Is Not a Speaking Technique
Your Voice Is Not a Speaking Technique There is a strange thing that happens when people decide they want to become better speakers. They start looking for other speakers. They watch how they stand. They listen to how they use their voices. They study the way they open a presentation, tell a story, pause for […]
The Speaker, the Message or the Audience: What Should Come First?
There is an interesting question at the heart of every act of public communication: who, or what, should matter most? The person speaking? The message being delivered? Or the people listening? At first, the answer might seem obvious. A speaker needs to know their audience. Anyone who has spent time studying communication has heard some […]
The Performance of Confidence: Why Looking Confident Is Not the Same as Being Credible
There are people who walk into a room and immediately appear to know what they are doing. They speak without hesitation, answer questions quickly and seem entirely comfortable occupying the space around them. Their posture is assured, their voice is steady and their opinions are delivered with conviction. Even before they have had the opportunity […]
Why Executive Presence Begins Before You Speak
There is a moment in every important meeting when a person walks into a room and, without saying anything, begins to communicate. Perhaps it is a boardroom filled with senior executives. Perhaps it is a meeting with a prospective client, a presentation to investors or a strategy session with a leadership team. The person has […]
When Facts Are Not Enough: The Role of Story in Persuasive Communication
The assumption that better information naturally leads to better decisions is one of the more persistent misconceptions in communication. In business, politics, education and public life, people are frequently presented with facts that are accurate, relevant and compelling, yet remain unconvinced or unwilling to act. The problem is not always a lack of evidence. Often, […]
Attention Is Earned: What Great Speakers Understand About Every Audience
There is a moment that exists before every presentation, although very few speakers recognise it. It happens before the first slide appears on the screen. Before the introduction. Before the applause. Before the microphone is adjusted and before the opening line is spoken. The audience is already making a decision. Not about whether they agree […]
Beyond the Prompt: Why Great Communicators Still Win
Artificial intelligence is transforming the way we prepare to communicate. It can write, organise and refine our ideas with remarkable speed. But when the moment comes to influence, persuade and inspire, the qualities that matter most remain profoundly human. Imagine two leaders walking into separate rooms. The first has a speech crafted with the help […]
Why we fear public speaking more than we should
Have you ever noticed how confidently people chat over lunch, contribute passionately in meetings, or debate animatedly with friends—only to freeze the moment they are asked to stand in front of an audience? For most of us, the fear of public speaking appears out of nowhere, and it appears fast. The palms become sweaty. The heartbeat quickens. […]